TREVISO, Italy – Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group a worldwide leader in the coffee industry, has acquired Hoja Verde Gourmet Hovgo, based in Ecuador, a country that produces some of the finest qualities of coffee and cocoa in the world. Massimo Zanetti, Chairman and Cheif Executive Officer of Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, commented: “Hoja Verde Gourmet is a leading player in the coffee and chocolate sector.
Based in Ecuador – home to one of the most prized varieties of Arabica coffee and the extraordinarily fine “Fino de Aroma” cocoa – Hoja Verde Gourmet has succeeded in creating premium products that stand out for the extremely high quality of the raw materials, innovation and sustainability witnessed by the numerous awards received.
The coffee and cocoa produced in these communities are appreciated all over the world because of their rich aromatic bouquet. Ecuador’s geographical diversity ensures a significant range of aromas and flavours that differ by region. In the Loja region, for example, at the foot of the Southern Andes plateau, the coffee plantations are located at a height of over 1,600 m and climatic conditions are optimal for growing and sun drying Arabica coffee.
On the other hand, on the Galapagos archipelago, the particularly favourable climate allows coffee to grow at low altitudes, warmed by the hot equatorial sun and mitigated, on the one hand, by the cold Humboldt currents and, on the other, by Panama’s warm waters.
In addition, the local presence allows us to produce chocolate and coffee from the raw material, and thus to have full visibility of the entire production chain. We are extremely satisfied to have finalised this high-potential acquisition and to have added Café Vélez and Hoja Verde chocolate to our brand portfolio.”
Hoja Verde Gourmet, in just a few years, has succeeded in building a prestigious image for itself in the chocolate world, confirmed by the numerous awards won and certifications obtained. Many of its products have won recent international prizes, such as the Academy of Chocolate, Ecuador Chocolate Awards, and International Chocolate Awards Americas.
Hoja Verde Gourmet cocoa comes from the provinces of Esmeraldas and Zamora, in the north-western and southern regions of Ecuador, and is produced by small local growers who also use organic, sustainable growing methods. Ecuador is home to “National Arriba”, a fine, aromatic cocoa – one of the most prized in the world.
The coffee produced by Hoja Verde Gourmet – Café Vélez – comes from selected producers in the provinces of Loja, Zamora, Intag and Pichincha, home to Ecuador’s capital, Quito.
The equatorial soils are rich in minerals and the plantations located at altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 meters above sea level grant the coffee unique sensory properties.
The Hoja Verde Gourmet production facility, located in Cayambe, 70 kilometres from Quito, produces coffee and chocolate using very fine quality selected raw materials, enabling oversight of the entire chain.
Packaging is a major focus. In fact, sustainable packaging is used for a number of products: EarthPact®, consisting of 100% sugar-cane fibre left over from processing, and thus fully biodegradable.
The acquisition, driven by the highly complementary nature of the product range and commercial synergies, paves the way to further important development opportunities for the Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group.
